4-Methylnitrosamino-1-3-pyridyl-1-butanone (NNK) promotes lung cancer cell survival by stimulating thromboxane A2 and its receptor.

The role of thromboxane A(2) (TxA(2)) in smoking-associated lung cancer is poorly understood. This study was conducted to study the role of TxA(2) in smoking carcinogen 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK)-promoted cell survival and growth in human lung cancer cells. We found that NNK increased TxA(2) synthase (TxAS) expression and thromboxane B(2) (TxB(2)) generation in cultured lung cancer cells, the result of which was supported by the increased level of TxAS in lung cancer tissues of smokers. Both TxAS-specific inhibitor furegrelate and TxA(2) receptor antagonist SQ29548 completely blocked NNK-mediated cell survival and growth via inducting apoptosis. TxA(2) receptor agonist U46619 reconstituted a near-full survival and growth response to NNK when TxAS was inhibited, affirming the role of TxA(2) receptor in NNK-mediated cell survival and growth. Suppression of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element binding protein (CREB) activity by its small interference RNA blocked the effect of NNK. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) also had a positive role. Altogether, our results have revealed that NNK stimulates TxA(2) synthesis and activates its receptor in lung cancer cells. The increased TxA(2) may then activate CREB through PI3K/Akt and extracellular ERK pathways, thereby contributing to the NNK-promoted survival and growth of lung cancer cells.